Australian mosques become route to reach Muslim women on health

CANBERRA, Australia (MNTV) — Australian mosques can be an effective setting for delivering reproductive-health information to Muslim women who might otherwise miss out, a two-year research project has found, according to an article in The Conversation.

Governments across Australia have pledged hundreds of millions of dollars for women’s health, but funding alone does not help those who do not know services exist or how to reach them, said Sadia Hossain, a public-health lecturer at Western Sydney University. 

Some Muslim women have faced or fear discrimination in healthcare settings, are unsure whether treatments align with their faith, or — if born overseas — are unfamiliar with the Australian system, while cultural norms can make it hard to ask openly about contraception, pregnancy, or periods. 

The project, called WARDA (“rose” in Arabic), worked with female faith leaders and volunteers to hold women’s “discussion circles” in mosques, then developed four faith-informed workbooks that were both evidence-based and aligned with Islamic values, pointing women to services such as Family Planning NSW and women’s health centers.

The team held 26 workshops with 490 women across NSW mosques; participants came from 33 countries and spoke 21 languages, and two-thirds were from the most socially disadvantaged areas. 

The research found translating mainstream messaging was not enough — women wanted reassurance from female faith leaders that the information aligned with their values. 

“It is extremely important to be in a safe and supportive environment around women with the same values,” said one 23-year-old participant born in Pakistan, adding she felt “more empowered to improve my health.” 

In the evaluation, nearly all said they would recommend the workshops, and 82 percent intended to make changes in their lives.